Job 38:13
that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse paints a striking image of dawn literally grabbing the "skirts" of the earth, like shaking out a garment. This isn't just about light appearing; it's about the dawn's power to expose and dislodge hidden evil, forcing wrongdoers into the open or into their hiding places.
God is asking Job if he understands how He orchestrates the very dawn of day. He’s describing how the light spreads across the entire earth in an instant, its arrival disrupting the darkness where wicked deeds are done. This sudden illumination forces evildoers to flee their hidden places or face exposure and judgment.
Think about the sunrise. It's beautiful, right? But what if the light itself has a purpose beyond just lighting up the sky?
This verse paints a powerful picture of the dawn not just as a physical event, but as a force with moral implications.
Light's Grasp
God is asking Job if he understands how the dawn 'takes hold of the skirts of the earth.' This isn't just a gentle spread of light; it's an active, powerful grasp, like grabbing the hem of a garment. It reaches to the very edges of the world with incredible speed and force.
The Wicked's Response
And why does this dawn grasp the earth so firmly? The verse says, 'that the wicked might be shaken out of it.' The light is portrayed as a disruptive agent for those who operate in darkness. When the light comes, their hidden deeds are exposed, their plans are foiled, and they are forced to flee, like thieves caught in the act.
The idea of being 'shaken out' sounds pretty intense. What does this dramatic imagery reveal about God's interaction with evil?
The phrase 'shaken out' isn't just about making wicked people uncomfortable; it speaks to a divine expulsion and judgment.
More Than Just Discovery
While the dawn reveals the wicked and forces them to flee their hiding places, the language here suggests more. It's like shaking out a rug to get rid of the dirt and debris. God's order, powerfully ushered in by the dawn, actively removes the corrupting influence of evil.
A Cosmic Cleansing
This isn't limited to individual acts. The imagery implies a broader shaking, a disruption of the systems and practices of wickedness that have taken root on the earth. It points towards God's ultimate plan to cleanse His creation from sin and its effects.
Understand the original words
rasha · Hebrew Noun
In a theological context, the "wicked" are those who live in rebellion against God’s moral law, often acting in secrecy and darkness, opposed to the righteous order God establishes.
This passage describes the wicked who love darkness and hide, directly contrasting with the dawn that shakes them out, showing their deep-seated aversion to exposure and light.
Psalm 19:4-6It speaks of the 'line' of God's light going out to the ends of the earth and how the dawn 'comes forth like a bridegroom,' mirroring the imagery of light encompassing the entire creation.
John 3:19-20This New Testament passage highlights that light has come into the world, and people love darkness rather than light because their works are evil, echoing the theme of the wicked fleeing from divine illumination.
Jeremiah 21:12This verse commands judgment to be executed in the morning, connecting the arrival of daylight with justice and the purging of wickedness from the land.
clarkeJob 38:13: "That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?"
That the wicked might be shaken out of it? - The meaning appears to be this: as soon as the light begins to dawn upon the earth, thieves, assassins, murderers, and adulterers, who all hate and shun the light, fly like ferocious beasts to their several dens and hiding places; for such do not dare to come to the light, lest their works be manifest, which are not wrought in God. To this verse…
pulpitJob 38:13: "That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?"
Verse 13. - That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? The idea seems to he that the dawn, suddenly appearing, seizes hold of all the ends of the earth "at one rush" (Canon Cook), and lights up the whole terrestrial region. The wicked, lovers of darkness, are taken by surprise, and receive a shock from which they recover with difficulty (co…
The verse paints a striking image of dawn literally grabbing the "skirts" of the earth, like shaking out a garment. This isn't just about light appearing; it's about the dawn's power to expose and dislodge hidden evil, forcing wrongdoers into the open or into their hiding places.
God is asking Job if he understands how He orchestrates the very dawn of day. He’s describing how the light spreads across the entire earth in an instant, its arrival disrupting the darkness where wicked deeds are done. This sudden illumination forces evildoers to flee their hidden places or face exposure and judgment.
God is asking Job if he understands how He orchestrates the very dawn of day. He’s describing how the light spreads across the entire earth in an instant, its arrival disrupting the darkness where wicked deeds are done. This sudden illumination forces evildoers to flee their hidden places or face exposure and judgment.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Job 38:13 is available in the Sola app.
"that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?" — The verse paints a striking image of dawn literally grabbing the "skirts" of the earth, like shaking out a garment. This isn't just about light appearing; it's about the dawn's power to expose and di…
